SVG elected to United Nations Economic and Social Council

St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) was on June 14 elected unopposed to serve on the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for the period 2017-2019.{{more}}

This country was one of the three members endorsed by the Group of Latin America and the Caribbean (GRULAC) who were seeking election on ECOSOC for this period. In securing our election, SVG got the highest number of votes for the GRULAC region and the 4th highest number of votes of the 18 member states that were elected today.

The period of service on ECOSOC is for three years and will run from January 2017 to December 2019.

The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is one of the main bodies of the United Nations that was created as a deliberative rather than an operational body, to help other parts of the UN system examine and shape their programmes. Its mandate is to function as a forum for discussing international, social, economic, and humanitarian issues as well as to coordinate the work of UN agencies and bodies concerned with those issues. The Council is composed of 54 members elected by the United Nations General Assembly on a rotating basis.

For the next three years, SVG as a member of ECOSOC, will contribute to and actively engage in the work of the Council as it continues to be a forum for the issues it was mandated to highlight. SVG brings to ECOSOC a strong national record, for its work on poverty reduction; hunger eradication: for which it was recognized by the FAO; universal access to health care; and education, among some of the issues discussed at this forum, as nations seek solutions to these and other issues affecting them. In their congratulations, many of the Permanent Representatives expressed confidence in SVG to function with the usual high level of effectiveness the country has been known for and looked forward for our input as a member of the council.

The other GRULAC members elected to ECOSOC were Colombia and Venezuela.